I ache

A modern day psalm of longing and lament for a connected generation. By Jonathan Brewer

I ache.
Hope has unfollowed me.
Joy decided to defriend me.

I ache.
The glare of my devices have powered down,
And I am abandoned in lonely isolation to stare and frown.

I ache.
Defrauded by the world wide web of deceit;
YouTube video of my sin is on repeat;
My mind's memory drive is full, and unwanted files – delete.
I ache.

What can improve my dislikes?
What can soothe my current status?
Will a divine direct message come out of the blue,
Even google ignores my voice request.

You, Lord, see the blog of my heart,
You read the history of my searches yet desire me.
Renew me, create a redesign to display me.
Lest I be left in virtual reality, - upgrade me.

Can you reconnect me to the Server? That I may too serve?
Charge me with your power? That I may empower others?

When I see your friend request, I will no longer ache.
Then if I be dropped by the world, I will no longer break.
For the application of my hope has been reloaded.
The protection of my physical frame has been remoulded.
The profile and password have been reset.
No longer blocked and hacked by the virus that beset.

With my face in your book, I like and I share.
I still ache, but now I ache for a world that is locked out in disrepair.

Jonathan is a second year Ministerial Formation student at South Wales Baptist College, Cardiff. As part of the Christian Spirituality module taught by Revd Dr Craig Gardiner, the students were encouraged to reflect on writing a psalm of lament. Employing the language and ideas of a technological generation, Jonathan employed these words in a modern psalm expressing longing and laments.

He hopes that the psalm will connect with today's connected generation.

As well as studying part-time at SWBC, Jonathan is Pastor at Aenon Baptist Church, Sandy Hill in Pembrokeshire and Secretary of the Pembrokeshire Baptist Association. He is a musician, songwriter and worship leader, is married to Ceri with 4 children and lives in Milford Haven.